Located in Worcester County, Massachusetts, Quaboag Pond is a lake at about 182 m (597 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 4.8 km (3.0 mi) SSW of East Brookfield.
Quaboag Pond is a 537-acre (2.17 km2) pond located a couple of miles south of and between East Brookfield and Brookfield, Massachusetts. The pond lies about two miles (3 km) south of state Route 9 as it passes through East Brookfield. Quaboag Pond was once named Podunk Pond.From the Wikipedia article “Quaboag Pond”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Quaboag Pond the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:53 AM | 90° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 57° ENE | 8:29 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 16m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:47 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 122° ESE | 4:20 PM | 239° WSW | 24° | 9h 05m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Lakes reflect best in calm air — usually the first hour after sunrise, before breezes ripple the surface.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:44 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:59 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 26m |
| February | 6:17 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:39 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:59 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 4:56 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 34m |
| June | 4:38 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:55 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:01 PM | 15h 15m |
| July | 4:52 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 58m |
| August | 5:26 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:28 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:36 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:09 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:21 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:28 PM | 4:58 PM | 9h 49m |
| December | 6:39 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:33 PM | 4:18 PM | 4:50 PM | 9h 07m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Quaboag Pond, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:28 AM – 5:18 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:20 AM – 4:20 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 3:20 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:40 PM – 2:50 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:30 PM – 1:30 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 11:28 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:35 PM – 9:25 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.97 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 63 | 67 | 74 | 87 | 87 | 90 | 97 | 99 | 96 | 85 | 72 | 67 |
| Low °F | -22 | -19 | -13 | 12 | 27 | 36 | 48 | 47 | 36 | 18 | 2 | -13 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 4.8 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 3.5 | 4.2 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this lake
- For mirror reflections, get low and close to the water; the reflection grows with a lower camera.
- A polarizer can remove reflections to show the lakebed — or keep them, depending on rotation.
- Mist often lifts off lakes on cold mornings after warm days, especially in autumn.
- Include shoreline rocks, reeds or a log as foreground to give the reflection depth.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Autumn mornings bring mist and fall color; high-elevation lakes are usually ice-free only from early summer to mid-autumn.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, Wide-angle lens, Waterproof boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Quaboag Pond, closest first.
State Park
Lake
State Park
Covered Bridge
Lake
State Park
State Park
Covered Bridge
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Westville Recreation Area12.7 km (7.9 mi) · reservable
- Buffumville Lake (Group Shelter)15.0 km (9.3 mi) · reservable
- West Thompson Lake Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Quaboag Pond?
What time is golden hour at Quaboag Pond?
Where does the sun rise and set at Quaboag Pond?
Can you see the Milky Way from Quaboag Pond?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Quaboag Pond?
How far is Quaboag Pond from East Brookfield?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.